Dio: Holy Diver Meaning

Song Released: 1983

Holy Diver Lyrics

Hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm yeah yeah
Holy diver you've been down too long in the midnight sea oh what's becoming of me
Ride the tiger you can see his stripes but you know he's clean oh don't you see what I mean
Gotta get away holy diver yeah
Got...

1. anonymous

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   May 20th 2011 !⃝

   If I remember correctly there was a kind of Fakir, shaman or holy person in India who fought tigers less aggressive and trained to give a show, at least that's what it´s said in legends, this is what concerns to holy diver; about the meaning of the lyrics I go with what is said of those addicted to heroin
2. anonymous

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   Apr 21st 2011 !⃝

   As musician and songwriter i think is about drugs and Lucifer. Heroin being the devil and the person being Lucifer before becoming the devil.
3. anonymous

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   Mar 24th 2011 !⃝

   Holy diver you've been down too long in the midnight sea oh what's becoming of me--he doesnt like who hes become
   
   Ride the tiger you can see his stripes but you know he's clean oh don't you see what I mean--he leads a life of wrong doing but deep down hes a good person
   
   Gotta get away holy diver yeah--he feels he must change his ways
   
   Got shiny diamonds like the eyes of a cat in the black and blue something is coming for you look out--his past deeds are catching up with him
   
   Race for the morning you can hide in the sun 'till you see the light oh we will pray it's all right--he decides if he doesnt change his ways his life will be worth nothing
   
   Gotta get away get away--he really has to change his ways
   
   Between the velvet lies there's a truth that's hard as steel--no matter how much wrong hes done he can always try to do good
   
   The vision never dies life's a never ending wheel--you always get chances to do good
   
   Holy diver you're the star of the masquerade no need to look so afraid--he has what it takes to be that savior but he holds himself back
   
   Jump on the tiger you can feel his heart but you know he's mean some light can never be seen--even if hes good he will do what is necessary to survive
   
   Holy diver sole survivor your honour's clean--he is justified in sort of changing his ways
   
   Holy diver holy diver never cut in the middle comin' after you holy diver--dont go back on your word or it will ultimately destroy you
   
   tiger=will to survive
4. anonymous

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   Feb 18th 2011 !⃝

   Ronnie has said himself that the Holy Diver is a messiah figure that saved the people of his world and left for the midnight sea. The people then await eagerly for his return, but also fear that he'll never be back. The Holy Diver is Dio's Jesus, whether you believe in the bible or not. The interview is on youtube, but I can't remember what it's called.
5. anonymous

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   Jan 1st 2011 !⃝

   The most difficult to explain or think about are the lines involving a tiger, im not sure if im specifically correct. I think the tiger represents a bad decision which seems alright at the time. He says jump on the tiger by trying to emphasize that he knows the decision is wrong and light (right and wrong) is not always easy to see. Overall A man's honor was restored due to his actions against evil(fighting in the music video of the song). He has trouble finding light because things can be deceiving but does. He realizes that evil will always follow him for what he has done but he will not let it consume him and will "Get Away".
6. DrizzleDrazzle

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   Nov 19th 2010 !⃝

   Holy Diver (shaman, magician, psychonaught, one who seeks the grail, anyone on a vision quest)
   You've been down too long in the midnight sea (dark night of the soul, chapel perilous , the Void, The Abyss)
   Oh what's becoming of me (am I going crazy?)
   
   Ride the tiger (life force, spirit of nature)
   You can see his stripes but you know he's clean
   Oh don't you see what I mean (sorry, this time I do NOT see whatcha mean)
   
   Gotta get away
   Holy Diver
   
   
   
   
   Shiny diamonds
   Like the eyes of a cat in the black and blue (a force, or entity of some type move within thesedark waters)
   Something is coming for you
   
   Race for the morning
   You can hide in the sun 'till you see the light
   Oh we will pray it's all right (the Fools' journey is harrowng at times)
   
   Gotta get away-get away (and if one does not properly utilise the sword of reason, the wand of intuition, the shield of valour and the cup of sympathy, one may become rather paranoid at times)
   
   Between the velvet lies (generally accepted reality)
   There's a truth that's hard as steel (self explanatory, in relation to the last line)
   The vision never dies (the seer follows his vision, and indeed, it never does die, thought at times all does seem lost)
   Life's a never ending wheel (again, self explanatory in relation to the last line)
   
   Holy Diver
   You're the star of the masquerade (the masquerade=the charade of "existance" the devils masquerade, the veil of Maya, the Abyss of Hallucinations)
   No need to look so afraid (having completed your quest and having died and been reborn, you have attained to a higher level--still you wander within this vast place, but no longer lost, no longer afeared)
   
   Jump on the tiger (the life force, primal, amoral and powerful...climb aboard the beast)
   You can feel his heart but you know he's mean (though you have befreinded the great beast, you have not truly tamed it. Be aware that it is not a force to be trifled with).
   Some light can never be seen (return to the daylight world, having experienced the Light that is hidden within the Dark....the Light shall remain unseen by your fellow humanity).
7. Rocksolid

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   May 29th 2010 !⃝

   Holy Diver your the Star of the masquerade.....Between the velvet lies there's a truth that is hard as steel..the vision never dies life's a never ending wheel. I guess due in large part to the imagery on the album every time I hear these lyrics I see a Roman catholic Priest struggling with his priesthood...dressing up to play the part but not truly living up to the part a hypocrite a wolf in sheep's clothing etc. The album shows that Satan has taken this priest.I also visualize a priest sleeping with one of the members of his church. Intense stuff here great song
8. anonymous

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   Jul 20th 2009 !⃝

   It's about good and evil, not drugs.
9. Nickweiler

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   Jan 29th 2009 !⃝

   Well I'm pretty sure it's about doing heroine "holy diver" taking the Syringe into your arm "ride the tiger you can see his stripes but you know he's clean" well that would be the lines and numbers on the syringe there would be a couple things about that song and at the moment that's all I have but I'm getting the rest.

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